The Texas Democratic Party is the state branch of the Democratic party, generally considered to be center-left on the political spectrum. It is one of the two major political parties in Texas, the other being the Republican Party of Texas.

The TDP raises money, organizes events, and campaigns for state Democratic candidates.

Oops. Battleground Texas, a liberal group working to boost Democratic hopes in conservative Texas, admitted Friday that it erred in claiming that early voter turnout in the 70 largest counties was rising dramatically. State figures show turnout is flat at best so far.

The Texas Democrats are now where the Republicans were when Wayne Thorburn was executive director of the Texas GOP. Thorburn, who held the post from 1977 to 1983, says the minority party is not yet a statewide contender but could become one.

The biggest single cluster of Texas voters has not been to the polls so far this year: Texans who vote only in November. That group outnumbers those who vote in either the Republican or the Democratic primaries. Both parties are counting on this group.

Following Gov. Rick Perry's indictment on charges of abuse of power and coercion, Texas Democrats are trying to capitalize, saying the case raises larger questions about ethics within the Republican Party. Whether that strategy can sway voters in November is an open question.

With help from TheWashington Post’s Truth Teller, we’re analyzing the speeches that Texas’ candidates for lieutenant governor gave at their respective state political party conventions. Here we focus on Republican state Sen. Dan Patrick.

With help from The Washington Post’s Truth Teller, we’re analyzing speeches Texas’ candidates for lieutenant governor gave at their respective state political party conventions. Here we focus on Democratic state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte.

Greg Abbott, then a candidate for governor and now the governor-elect, spoke at a NE Tarrant Tea Party meeting at Concordia Lutheran Church in Bedford on Nov. 12, 2013. State Sen. Wendy Davis, who was also running for governor, spoke to veterans at Luby's in Forest Hill the day before.

State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, speaking at the Texas Democratic Party convention on Friday night, referred to the GOP as "Gringos y Otros Pendejos." The line drew gasps and laughter from the audience and sputtering anger from conservatives on social media.

The Texas Democratic Party officially kicks off its convention Thursday in Dallas. The party is expected to adopt a platform with few changes and showcase the candidates at the top of its statewide ballot.

A documentary and a book in the works will document Texas A&M University’s transformational decision to join the Southeastern Conference, so we start this week’s R&B-themed Playlist with James Brown’s “Get On The Good Foot.”

In 1961, a Wichita Falls political science professor became the first Texas Republican to win a statewide seat since Reconstruction. It took another 37 years for the party to sweep the other major offices. That history provides insight into the challenges now facing Democrats, and the reasons Republicans are taking the current threat to their winning streak seriously.

Texas Democrats believe wins by Tea Party candidates in Tuesday's Republican primary runoffs could turn off swing voters in November. But if Democrats can't close the deal — and they haven't for two decades — those Republicans will be running Texas.

In the Texas Legislature, it is often possible to tell legislators' political affiliations by their race and ethnicity. It's a result of voting patterns, voting rights laws and the way political maps are drawn.

It doesn't matter how many votes you get in a legislative or congressional election as long as it's more than the opponent. It is possible — common, even — to win a legislative election with fewer votes than some of the losers receive. The guy who lost to Wendy Davis in 2012? He had more votes than eight winning candidates in other districts.

At our 3/20 TribLive conversation, Kinky Friedman, a Democratic candidate for Texas agriculture commissioner in 2014, defended his decision to run as an independent in 2006 and to say nice things about Rick Perry in 2011.

At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, the Democratic nominee for Texas governor in 2014, talked about losing a couple dozen counties on primary day and whether her party is in disarray.

Texas voters are making the first round of decisions this year about who they want to lead their state in 2015 and beyond. In Tuesday's primary elections, Democrats and Republicans are choosing their nominees for public office.

The Democrats are delaying their usual primary election night precinct conventions until March 22, when they hold county conventions. The state's Republicans will hold some tonight and combine others with the county conventions.

Everybody knows about the Hispanic growth of the state and how that might change the state's politics. Republicans have another demographic trend to think about: Elderly voters are a key part of their conservative constituency. Who will replace them?